Entertainments

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 62, 15 March 1938, Page 9

Entertainments

STATE THEATRE—TO-DAY J ‘‘THE HURRICANE.” Samuel Goldwyn knew that he had aj truly great picture in “Tho Hurricane,” | Which is showing at the State Teatre. to-day with Dorothy Lamont and Jon | Hall heading a great cast, which includes J Alary As tor. C. Aubrey Smith, Thomas’ Mitchell, Raymond Massey, John Carra-j dine and Jerome Cowan. In this dramatic saga of the South Seas, written by Charles j Nordhoff and James Norman Hall, authors j of “Mutiny on the Bounty,” he was confi-j dent he had a story rich In every element* of cinematic entertainment. And under! the virile direction of John Ford, the; story has been translated into a picture; which surpasses even the producer’s fond- \ tst expectations. “Tho Hurricane,” with its tender romance, its powerful drama, its picturesque setting and its amazing spectacle climax, is a story ready-cut to the screen's most heroic measure. On the low island of Alanukura, 600 miles from Tahiti, two native sweethearts, Terangi and Aiarama are wed. Their brier happiness is shattered when Terangi, returning to Tahiti on the trading schooner of which he is first mate, is imprisoned for striking a white man who insults him. After five years of unsuccessful attempts, tlie boy escapes from Tahiti and makes his way to his native island. Because of the implacable sense of duty of the French Administrator, however, he is forced to hide on a neighbouring island. The search for him is at its height when a great hurricane begins to blow up. Unmindful of his own safety, the youth goes to Alanukura to warn the inhabitants. In the fury that follows, be plays a heroic part, and the hurricane scene provides one of the most thrilling and powerful climaxes tne screen bas ever shown. Known as the discoverer of more new stars than any other producer, Goldwyn entrusted the role of the native hero, Terangi, to a Hollywood newcomer, Jon Hall. Handsome, possessed of a magnificent physique, Hall will undoubtedly be lifted to stellar rating by this performance. Lovely Dorothy Lamour appears opposite him as the native heroine, Marama. Tho producer sent a photographic unit of 18 members to American Samoa to film scenic backgrounds, while the action involving the cast was shot in Hollywood on settings unprecedented for size and realism. Largest of the Hollywood settings is a complete Island village, encircling an acre and a-half lagoon. It Is there, that the hurricane, brewed by James Basevi, tho technical genius who created the earthquake effects for “San Francisco,” unleashes its full destructive power. The great storm, filmed with almost terrifying realism, involving exceptional hardships and hazards to the cast principals, promises to make “Tho Hurricane” the most talked-of picture in years.

MAYFAIR THEATRE—TO-MORROW. “THE GREAT ZIEGFELD.” Heralded as tho “Greatest Show on Eai-th,” with a cast of 205 speaking roles, 200 glorified American beauties, and 5,000 extras, topped by the stellar triumvirate of William Powell, Alyrna Loy and Luise Rainer, “Tho Great Ziegfeld," Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s giant caravan of entertainment opens its long-awaited return engagement at the Mayfair Theatre tomorrow'. In preparing this sensational production whose cast is studded with such luminaries of the stage and film world as Frank Alorgan, Fannie Brice, Virginia Bruce. Reginald Owen, Ray Bolger, Nat Pendleton and Harriet Hoctor, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer duplicated the profligacy of Ziegfeld himself, using sixteen reels and 15,300 feet of film. Although “The Great Ziegfeld” is not merely another motion picture revue, it has many and elaborate musical incidents which form the background for the story, give authenticity to the plot and re-create the atmosphere of the show world. The story was suggested by Ziegfeld’s career, his rivalries, successes and failures. Special emphasis is placed on the fact also that the character of Ziegfeld is not intended as an accurate historical study. It has been made partly fictional, consistent with the man himself, but consistent also witli tho spacious and glamorous legend that surrounds him. As a natural part of the plot the picture introduces spectacular musical interludes of the type which Ziegfeld made famous on Broadway. The singing and dancing present the last word in entertainment, every role being mieci by the artist top in his particular field. Box Plans for “The Great Ziegfeld are now open at Collinson and Cunmnghames, ’phone 7178.

REGENT THEATRE —TO-DAY “OVER SHE GOES” \ Rollicking 1 , farcical comedy with merry music, tightly packed with bright, breezy situations and delightful dancing—that s “Over She Goes,” tho sparkling screen version of the record-breaking West End stage success. With laughter leader Stanley Lupino heading tho original London stage cast, this merry musical comedy may rlghtlv be termed “the happiness [picture of 1938.” For month after month “Over She Goes” delighted West End 'audiences, who would not let it go, until all attendance records had been smashed. Now transferred to the screen you can • enjoy that treat of hearty laughter you’ve 1 long longed for. “Over She Goes” tells of the adventures of Tommy, Billy and Harry, three ex-members of a vaudeville act, when Harry becomes a peer on the presumed death of his uncle, Lord Drewsden, and Is pursued by a title-hunting ex-flame. To outwit the damsel the ingenious Tommy (played by Stanley Lupino, of course) poses as Harry’s uncle, mysteriously returned from the jungle in which he is supposed to have died, hoping to make the gold-digger believe that there is no title or inheritance to share. sTou can imagine the fun in this laughterladen situation. One of the many features of the film is the casting of Max Baer, the famous American boxer, as a tough “he-man” from the wide open spaces, who is Stanley Lupino’s rival for the affections of vivacious Gina Afalo. “Maxle” is in his element in this part and has some screamingly funny scenes with Stanley Lupino and Laddie Cliff. Four lovely leading ladies support Stanley Lupino in the production, Claire Luce, glamorous as ever in the romantic lead as Harry’s fiancee, Gina Alalo. as Stanley Lupino’s bright young girl friend, Sally Gray, as Billy’s, and Judy Kelly as the beautiful cause of all the trouble. Bertha Belmore gives one of her inimitable comedy characterisation as the unfortunate Lady Drewsden, who takes Stanley Lupino for her long-lost husband, while Syd. Walker and Richard Alurdock add some grand comedy as an old-style police inspector and his young Hendon graduate assistant. John Woods, a handsome young newcomer from Australia, is guaranteed to niako the feminine hearts beat as dashing young Lord Drewsden. KOSY THEATRE “DRIFT FENCE.” Stirring drama, such as one has come to expect of a Zane Grey story, characterises “Drift Fence,” the new Paramount action picture, now showing at the Kosy Theatre. It unfolds a colourful story of the days when desperadoes ruled the Arizona cattle lands, and refused to let big ranchers confine their herds within fences. No one is more adept than Zane Grey in presenting primitive struggles of the vanished frontier days of Arizona. And “Drift Fence” is one of the most engrossing stories that has come from the pen of this wizard of Western tales. Adventure, romance, and humour are skilfully blended in this danger-bristling melodrama. Leading roles are enacted by Larry “Buster” Crabbe, Katherine De Aiille, Tom Keene, Benny Baker, Glenn Erikson, Stanley Andrews. Richard Carle and EfHe Elisler. A “drift fence,” peculiar to the frontier days, was an enclosure used to thwart rustlers, by preventing cattle from passing into the wrong hands. In “Drift Fence,” Tom Keene plays a Texas ranger who takes the place of an Eastern lad come to learn ranching, and starts to build adrift fence, knowing that the cattle rustlers will do all they can to prevent it. Complications get under way when the rustlers persuade a hard-fight-ing small rancher io side with them, since it is to his interests to have his cattle graze at large. Interwoven through the fast fight-it-out action is a romance between the ranger and the sister of the young rancher out to protect his grazing rights. “Border Flight.” The staccato rattle of machine-gun fire, the roar and whine of speeding planes “dog-fighting” high above the Pacific, and thrilling hand-to-hand battling of guardsmen and smugglers run through Paramount’s “Border Flight,” now showing at the Kosy Theatre. The film tells a dramatic tal© of high adventure and dangerous missions of the United States Coast Guard air corps. Officers of the air corps aided in the filming. The crackup of two planes and the pancake landing of a third which has lo§t its landing gear add to the thrills of the story. Two members of tho corps, John Howard and Grant Withers, become rivals for the attentions of the same girl, Francis Farmer. In the course of the story, one Is discharged from the service and joins a band of fur smugglers with which it has been fighting. The dramatic finish comes in a pitched battle of the forces of the Coast Guard and the smugglers, closing in a hand-to-hand fight. Last breath-taking shot is of a power dive of a plane directly into the smugglers’ ship, bringing the wreckage of both in an explosion. “Border Flight” sustains its pace as a top ] flight thriller and gives an insight into little-known branch of Government service as well. METEOR THEATRE—TO-DAY “I LIVE FOR LOVE” “I Live for Love,” Warner Bros.’ gay comedy romance with Dolores Del Rio and Everett Marshall, the greatest operatic star in the stellar roles. The plot is said to carry a most unusual comedy twist, set against the background of a radio broadeating station. There are live, catchy original songs sung by Marshall, famous on the radio, in musical comedy and formerly a member of the Metropolitan Grand Opera Company. A grand pageant with beautiful girls has been staged as only Bushy Berkeley, famed for his specialty numbers, can do it. While beautiful and impressive events, the players dressing in the costumes of the famous characters of history, taking them off in a vein of hilarity. Miss Del Rio plays the part of a South American prima donna, tempestuous and temperamental, who loves and hates with the passion of the fiery Latin. She thinks she is in love with an actor from her own country, a part played by Don Alvarado, who drives his producer frantic. Marshall, a secret singer who eventually becomes the toast of the country on the radio, is the rival lover, whom the prima donna thinks she hates. After a series of terrific battles between the two, he finally sweeps her off her feet and literally leaves the fiery Latin suitor waiting at the church. Guy Kibbee plays the part of radio sponsor and Berton Churchill that of a stage producer. Both are driven, frantic by the two temperamental South American stars, and the devil-may-care street singer in marvellously gay scenes. Allen Jenkins and Hobart Cavanaugh add to the fun, the former as a tough, hard-boiled press agent; the latter as a highbrow, and a “bit-too-sweet,” director of public relations.